Papul's parliament seat declared vacant
The parliament seat of independent member of parliament MP Shahid Islam alias Papul has been declared vacant.
The national parliament secretariat on Monday published a gazette declaring his seat vacant.
According to the gazette signed by senior secretary Zafor Ahmed Khan, Mohammad Shahid Islam, elected from Lakshmipur-2 constituency, has been jailed for four years by a Kuwaiti court for committing criminal offences.
As a result, according to Article 66 (2) Gha of Bangladesh constitution, he is not fit to be a member of parliament. As per article 67 (1) Gha, his seat has fallen vacant since 28 January, the date of judgment
On 28 January, a Kuwaiti court sentenced Bangladeshi lawmaker Kazi Shahid Islam Papul to four years rigorous imprisonment on charges of human-trafficking and money-laundering.
The court also fined the independent lawmaker 1.9 million Kuwaiti dinars equal to Tk 531.92 million (53.19 crore).
The criminal court headed by counselor Abdullah Al-Othman delivered the verdict on Thursday.
The court also sentenced the country’s sacked home ministry general Mazen Al-Jarrah to four years rigorous imprisonment and fined him 1.9 million Kuwaiti dinars.
This powerful general helped the Bangladeshi lawmaker immorally to operate the latter’s business.
Earlier on 6 June last year, law enforcement personnel of the oil-rich country arrested Shahid from his residence at Kuwait City on allegation of human-trafficking and money-laundering.
According to a statement of Kuwait’s interior ministry, the MP was a Kuwaiti citizenship and had been residing in the country legally.Shahid is the managing director and CEO of Marafie Kuwaitia Group, a labour and security contracting company.
The Bangladeshi MP has 5 million Kuwaiti dinars ($16.25 million or Dh69.76 million) in assets in Kuwait. Kuwaiti authorities froze his bank accounts.
According to a media report, 20,000 Bangladeshi workers were brought to Kuwait by the MP, in exchange for more than 50 million Kuwaiti dinars (Dh596 million).